The clocks went backwards today

And I don't know where I am! Oh well, I used to be undecided, now I'm not sure.There is sunshine and blue skies today, so I'm much more cheerful. I might go up to the studio later, in fact why am I on here? Bye.

Lots of rain and little work

I got up early this morning (well not late) and headed into the studio determined to do some kind of work. The day was miserable with wind and heavy rain. Low clouds meant it was almost twilight at times, grey, dark and miserable. Needless to say I had a few coffees and gave up any idea of work. I had a chat with one of the other 'yarders and had a good bitch before deciding to go home for an early lunch. I'm still at home nine hours later....so much for work. I think I'll try a new tack next week.....I'll go in to doss!

I wonder do many artists have this kind of problem for extended periods.....

I miss chatting with others... back to S.O.B. I need to meet others to chinwag.

I've been remiss

I haven't had time to post on the blog. I seem to be very busy travelling here there and everywhere, Limerick, Roscommon,Galway, up North, you name it I've been there. I'm off to Athlone on thursday for another long week-end.... The fishing was quite good!.
The painting on the other hand is not going well.............. can Artist's get 'Block'? I seem to be doing anything rather than paint. I spent two days in the studio....tying flies! I need a kick up the *rse! I just can't get motivated. I don't even want to go into the studio these days. I can't see myself doing much before the Florence Biennale in December now anyway.

Time to paint a picture.........

I spent four of the last six days fishing! It's a hard life, but somebodies gotta do it.

Sunday: seemed fine in the morning, travelled down for the competition, wind got up, end result a HARD days fishing, no fish to show for it.
Monday: too tired after Sunday to go as planned so we didn't bother, decided to work in the studio instead.
Tues. & Wed. as stated earlier, Lough Ennel.
Thursday: Maynooth fishery with paying guest. Result Guest 1, me 6. but Hard work again!
Bright sunshine and no wind at all.... thankfully the PG. knew enough to realise the conditions made life difficult!

Friday: A day of rest! I'm off to Limerick for the weekend tomorrow with my Wife..........Now if I could find someone to act as an agent and sell my paintings life would be perfect!! as I said it's a hard life.

Another Fishing Season Over.

Today was the last day of the trout fishing season. I spent the last two days on lough Ennel making the most of it. Yesterday I hooked a trout of 4 or 5 lbs and lost it through line breakage (8lb bs.) when it leapt out and cartwheeled across the surface. It had already tried nearly every dirty trick in the book! On lough Ennel you usually only get one or two chances so I ended the day Blank. Today I got my own back with a fish of 4lb 12 oz. I fished hard all day without a sign of a fish until the last hour when one fish followed my flies for about twenty feet and then turned away. Fifteen minutes later the same thing was happening, the bulge of a fish swimming near the surface appeared behind my fly and followed it for about 12 feet, so I stopped the retrieve. I spotted the pink flash as the fish opened it's mouth and tightened into it nice and solidly. Some days you're good, and other days I'm better. A difficult fish like that is worth half a dozen easy ones. To cut a long story short after 15 or 20 minutes careful play I netted the fish that behaved impeccably, (no cartwheels or other tricks) and ended my season on a good note.

Of trout fishing and of painting

I spent yesterday afternoon fishing at the Maynooth rainbow fishery. I have a client coming to fish there next week (after the browntrout season closes on the 12th.).
I had a good day with over a dozen trout between 4 and about 8 pounds (2-4kg.) weight. All fell to skinny buzzers fished on a floating line. I also lost a cracker well over 10lb/5kg. All in all fishing conditions were terrible with a gusting wind reaching gale force at times, but the fishing was well worth the effort and the fish were in fine fighting condition, so much so they all needed to rest before swimming off on release.
I finished off my still life today, but I cant find my digital camera to take any photos. I think I'll have to buy a new one.....
I'm off fishing tommorrow again, another competition unless the forecasted gales appear before we head off. If we do get them I'm staying put. I'm getting too old to be out in rough conditions for a club competition. I like my fishing comfortable these days.

Another Art patron Rip-off

I had been contacted by an online 'Gallery' re selling some of my paintings. I always want to sell paintings so I contacted them in return saying I would be interested. To cut a long story short, they wanted me to do a couple of paintings and then repeat the works to order!!
How someone can represent themselves as a gallery selling ART, and then sell reproduced paintings amazes me. Whether I or someone else reproduces/knocks-off my paintings, matters not, it will devalue my work.
Aside from that if they are going to sell copies of my work they are just as likely to sell cheaply produced work from China as pay me for it.....NO THANKS!

I have spent twenty years building a reputation and a following with my Art, and I'm not about to start ripping off my patrons, old or new. My work is unique, and it means something, at least to me, I don't believe in painting to a system or formula or churning pretty pictures out 10 to the dozen. To do that I could get a job on an assembly line, or even in a commercial studio designing logos and letterheads, AND THEY PAY!

Grouch Over.

This blog is great. I can groan, gripe, and generally moan about all my woes and annoyances without being interrupted or told to cop on to myself, get a life, etc. Painting is not going well again...I can feel a days fishing coming on. Thursday sounds good. I've a few jobs to do tomorrow, form filing, check the van for oil etc. pay a few bills and I need to buy a few canvases etc. so I'll do all that.

Still life.

I looked for a sofa/couch again, still no luck.
I arrived in the studio about 11.30, I perused a few art books for an hour or two before deciding to set up a simple still-life. A small table, covered in an off white cloth (curtain lining) with my coffee cup on it, all reflected in a mirror. I have almost finished the painting. It is quite interesting........